


Broken Pieces

by Kiterie



Series: 100 themes [11]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-10-16
Updated: 2008-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-27 11:08:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/661288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiterie/pseuds/Kiterie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Kakashi falling in love isn't easy especially when his hearts a shattered mess, but Iruka can help with that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken Pieces

Most days it felt like his heart was broken into pieces. There was one for his mother even though the only thing he could recall of her was her scent. A piece for his father that seemed to ache even when he'd pushed all his emotions away in a vain attempt make it stop. Then of course there was the piece that belong to Obito, stolen so secretly he hadn't realized it was gone until the boy it belonged to was as well. One for Rin, although he'd never quite understood the reason he'd given it to her as a going away present when he couldn't love her while she was alive. The largest piece belonged to Minato and suited the man who likely didn't need it since he was loved by everyone. There was even a sliver for Kushina who smelled too much like his mother, or maybe just too much like a mother, and occupied far too much of his sensei's time.

In the end, when he considered how much of himself he'd given away to ghost he could never let rest... it felt as though there was nothing left. He wasn't even sure he knew who he was anymore, or that he'd even known to begin with. Usually though, it didn't bother him. Living for somebody else seemed the best thing to do when they could no longer live for themselves. For whatever reason this never seemed to apply to his own life.

"I don't think I have enough of my heart left to really love someone..." Kakashi murmured into the brown hair of the man he'd been spending a steadily increasing amount of time with, with little explanation as to why.

"That's okay, I'll just give you mine then. I've had it long enough. It's really big too so you'll be able to love lots of people, including me who will have nothing left," Iruka had chuckled.

"What about Naruto? If you have no heart then you won't love him anymore," he laughed, getting caught up in the silly nonsense of the chunin's words.

Iruka sighed dramatically, threading his fingers though Kakashi's. "I suppose... you'll just have to love him for me."

"Do I have to buy him ramen?" Even as the words left his mouth, the world seemed fuzzier and more distant and he could feel himself on the edge of sleep.

"Mmmhmm..." Iruka yawned before drifting off himself.

And now, years later, curled up in the same warm embrace, he knew. It had been in that ridiculous moment that he'd fallen in love. The knowledge was as overwhelming as it was obvious, and he whispered the words knowing full well that he'd been wrong back then. His heart had been broken but somewhere between the first time they'd kissed and then... Iruka had managed to patch it back together.

"I know," Iruka murmured simply, snuggling closer. "I always did."


End file.
